Many pleasure boats sold today are classified as convertible or multi-use boats. Such boats are sold with the accessories for use as a fishing boat, such as trolling motors, depth and fish finders, and live wells, and are also configured for use as runabouts. While it is possible to design many features of such multi-use boats to be compatible with each of their roles, some compromises of desirable features have been necessary in current boats. One of these compromises is the inclusion of an open bow arrangement with a footwell recessed in the front deck of the boat to increase the utility of the boat as a runabout. This footwell may be in the area most desirable for mounting a seat or other support when using the boat for fishing or in the area where a person fishing over the bow of the boat may wish to stand. Improvements to existing boats are desirable to allow more flexible and effective use of a boat for multiple roles.